Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus including a game board having a path for movement of markers in accordance with numbers with selected by means of a die, certain of the stations along the path being distinctly marked to indicate that the player should also use a second chance means to instruct him as to further play, and said board having areas thereof provided with pictorial representations. The players are provided with game pieces in the form of illustrated cards, each being identifiable with one of said pictorial representations, and the disposition of such cards is determined by instructions provided on sound reproducing means providing the second chance means. The sound reproducing means comprises an elongated strip having a plurality of parallel sound tracks with different messages, and a diaphragm and stylus device is manually moved along a sound track at random to effect reproduction of a message of instruction in the play of the illustrated cards.

United States Patent Glass et al.

[4 1 Apr. 18, 1972 [54] BOARD GAME APPARATUS [73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Jan. 9, 1969 21 Appl. No.: 790,002

[52] US. Cl ..273/l34 B, 273/134 C, 274/13'R Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe Attorney-James F. Coffee and Gerald M. Newman [57] ABSTRACT Game apparatus including a game board having a path for movement of markers in accordance with numbers with selected by means of a die, certain of the stations along the path being distinctly marked to indicate that the player should also use a second chance means to instruct him as to further play, and said board having areas thereof provided with pictorial representations. The players are provided with game pieces in the form ofillustrated cards, each being identifiable with one of said pictorial representations, and the disposition of such cards is determined by instructions provided on sound reproducing means providing the second chance means. The sound reproducing means comprises an elongated strip having a plurality of parallel sound tracks with different messages, and a diaphragm and stylus device is manually moved along a sound track at random to effect reproduction of a message of instruction in the play of the illustrated cards.

1 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BOARD GAME APPARATUS This invention relates in general to games of chance which also require skill in the fonn of immediate player reaction. In particular, this invention relates to a game of chance wherein the chance means include means eliciting an audible sound message which is related to the game play.

Board games utilizing various apparatus such as a stack of playing cards, objects for movement about or placement upon the playing board; and chance means such as picking an instructional card from a stack, rotating a spinner, or throwing a pair of dice, are well known in the game art.

This invention provides a game wherein the game play is regulated by player-actuated audible sound message means. A player actuates the audible sound message means during the game play sequence, and the sound message means impart an element of chance to the game since, in accordance with the invention, the player is unable to intentionally select a particular game play regulating message.

The invention also provides novel audible sound message means which may be used with games, toys or the like. The novel sound message means may be hand held and manually operated, is of simple construction and economical cost yet is reliable and yields remarkably distinct sound reproduction. The novel sound means of the invention is constructed to in hibit the intentional selection of a particular message yet enables repetitive reproduction of a particular message selected.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a game wherein the game play is at least partially regulated by audible sound message means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game wherein at least a portion of the game play is regulated by randomly eliciting one audible message from a plurality of messages thereby introducing an element of chance to the game.

It is also an object of this invention to provide audible sound message means for use in controlling the play of a game, wherein said means is manually manipulated by a first player to elicit a game play action response from other players.

A further object of this invention is to provide a prerecorded rectilinear sound track having many different prerecorded game play messages thereon in random order, and sound pick-up means cooperable with said track for reproducing the prerecorded messages.

Additional objects of this invention will become apparent to those versed in the art upon an understanding of the following detailed description of the game apparatus construction and play sequence taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the game is shown, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus of the invention including a game board 70, a plurality of playing cards 74, chance means 78 and audible sound message means comprising a sound track 16 and sound reproducing means 18;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional view of sound reproducing means 18 taken along line 2-2 thereof as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of the sound reproducing means taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the sound reproducing means taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevational view of track means 16 shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 55 thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5 of the drawings, the game apparatus includes audible sound message means comprising a sound track 16 and sound reproducing means 18 for picking up and reproducing sound signals prerecorded on the track. The track is formed of a longitudinal frame comprising vertical side walls 24 and 26 connected by a cross member 28 which defines a substantially flat horizontal surface 30. Surface 30 carries a plurality of longitudinal signal-producing elements 31 which extend from a position adjacent a starting end Signal-producing elements 31 comprise a plurality of vertically modulated sound tracks, i.e. closely spaced rectilinear sound grooves 38 which are irregular in depth and transmit vibratory oscillations to appropriate stylus means to produce audible sounds. The grooves are prerecorded with a plurality of game play regulating messages, although in a preferred embodiment each groove contains only one message. In the instant game nine different messages are required, but instead of providing only nine prerecorded grooves it is desirable that many, very closely spaced grooves be used and that the nine different messages be duplicated several times. It has been found that 40 or more separate, vertically modulated sound grooves may be provided on a track having a width of approximately 1 /4 inches. While the closely spaced sound tracks make it difficult for a player to locate a particular message which may be of benefit to his game play turn, the difficulty may be further increased by interspersing the messages among the grooves.

Turning now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, sound pick-up means 18 for use with the sound track comprises a housing 40 of suitable size to be conveniently held in one hand by a user. The housing includes an upper wall 42 having a series of apertures 43 to facilitate passage of sound to the exterior of the housing, and a lower wall 44 having a bottom surface 45 defining a series of closely spaced, rectilinear, parallel ridges 46 and valleys 47 forming an undulating pattern which extends in the same direction as sound grooves 38. The housing further includes a separate dish-shaped inner wall 48 which generally conforms to lower wall 44. The inner wall has a peripheral flange 50, and a narrow upper bridge member 52 is positioned diametrically across the flange.

A voice cone or amplifier 54 is positioned in the cavity formed by the inner wall. The cone is supported at its outer edge adjacent a corrugated section 55 which enhances proper flexing of the cone as it vibrates, and alleviates damping of the sound. The voice cone has an apex 56 which carries a vibration transmitting member 58 having a depending stylus 60. The stylus protrudes through an aperture 62 formed in an enlarged circular center portion 63 (FIG. 4) of a second, narrow, diametrically extending bridge 61, which is integral with the inner wall 48 adjacent the bottom wall 44, and the two narrow bridge members 52, 61 thus form a structurally separate assembly housed within the confines of housing 40 and which carries the elements of the sound pickup structure comprising the voice cone 54 and stylus 60. A flat ring-shaped area 51 is provided on an undersurface of the inner wall slightly below its upper edge for engaging and cooperating with a similarly shaped ledge 53 formed at the interior of the housing.

Bridge member 52 and inner wall 48, together with the associated sound pickup structure, are biased downwardly with a predetermined pressure by a compression spring 68 bearing against the under surface of upper wall 42 and the top surface of bridge member 52. Spring 68 is retained in position by being located over a pair of opposing projections 70 and 72 on the under surface of the upper wall and on the upper surface of bridge member 52, respectively. The spring biases the inner housing downwardly so that area 51 abuts ledge 53 which thus determines the extent of downward movement of the inner assembly.

With the ring-shaped area abutting the ledge, the end of the stylus protrudes from the bottom beyond ridges 46. When the sound pickup means is being used, the stylus retracts slightly against the bias of spring 68 as it contacts the sound track to allow free vibration of the stylus and voice cone. The spring also affords protection for the stylus should the sound pickup be placed bottom down on a flat surface, such as a table, by allowing it to be forced into the housing.

In use, a player grasps the sound reproducing means and positions it laterally along the track at the starting end and firmly urges it downwardly so that the stylus engages any selected groove. The undulations 46, 47 on the bottom of the reproducing means engage track side walls 24 and 26 for guid- 32 of the track, defined by a ledge 33, to a terminating end 36. 75 ing it therealong and preventing the stylus from laterally jumping to an adjacent groove. As the reproducing means is firmly urged downwardly, the contact between the stylus and the track causes the inner wall to be lifted off of lower wall 44 against the force of spring 68. Thus the inner wall, voice cone and stylus float within housing 40. The distance which the innerwall is lifted from the lowerwall is dependent upon the length of the stylus and the height of track walls 24 and 26. When the reproduction means is manually propelled in the direction of arrow 75 (FIG. 1) toward end 36, the stylus vibrates vertically responsive to the signals inscribed on the recording elements and the vibrations are transmitted by member 58 to the voice cone for reproduction of a game play regulating message.

Should the user incorrectly propel the reproducing means along the track, such as by moving it too fast or too slow, the sound message may be indistinct. In this event, the undulations 46, 47- on the bottom of the housing and their cooperation with side walls 24 and 26 allow the user to repeat the sound message without losing the particular sound groove which the stylus was engaging. As long as the user does not raise sound pickup means 18 to disengage undulations 46, 47 from side walls 24, 26 he can simply return means 18 to its starting position along the sound track and the message will be repeated as the pickup 18 is again moved lengthwise of the track.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the game apparatus also includes a game board 70', a plurality of playing cards 72, some of which are arranged in superimposed relationship to form a stack 74 during the play of the game and others 76 of which are held by the players, and chance means 78.

The game board has a plurality of stations 80 about the periphery thereof which enclose a central board portion which, in the preferredembodiment, is subdivided into a plurality of discrete areas 82 by a grid 84 which is preferably fixed in place by intermating pegs and sockets or other suitable means, not shown. The grid configuration is identical to the outline used in a game of tic-tac-toe and thus divides the central board portion into nine discrete areas with the center area being reserved for the stack of playing cards 74. Each of the areas surrounding the center area has characteristic markings inscribed thereon such as illustrative drawings depicting items of food or members of another given family of animate or inanimate objects. The items depicted in these discrete areas are also inscribed on' the playing cards, with each card having only one item inscribed thereon and many of the items being inscribed on a plurality of different cards.

The stations on the playing board have many different game play regulating indicia thereon which instruct a player to take certain action. For instance, those stations having dots 90 indicate that the player whose marker lands thereon must use the audible sound message means to elicit an instructional message regulating the game play. Other stations 92 have written indicia messages referring to one of the characteristic I markings in areas 82 while still other stations 94 have a dot 90 and a written instruction requiring a player to pick a playing card from central stack 74.

In the play of the game, the object is for a player to dispose of all his cards by discarding them on the playing board. The first player to discard all of his cards wins the game.

Initially, the grid 84 is placed on the board to separate the central board portion into discrete areas. The playing cards are then shufiled and five are dealt to each player with the remainder of the cards being stacked face down in the center area. Each player selects a marker 96 and sets it in a corner station of the board. Starting from his comer station eachplayer moves his marker between the peripheral stations 80, in a given direction, according to the roll of die 78. if a player lands on a station having written indicia, such as station 92, he may discard, in the appropriate square, any playing card held in his hand corresponding to that item. if a player lands on a station having a dot 90, he must use the sound message means which will elicit either a beneficial food message correspond in to one particular item, or a detrimental messa e such as ey Fatso." Should a beneficial food message be e rerted, the

player using the sound message means is allowed to transfer to the board any number of cards which he holds in his hand depicting that food. The other players must also quickly react to the food message and try to transfer one of their food cards.

depicting the food message to the proper area on the board. The fust of the other players to discard his food card is the only player, plus the player using the sound message means, whose transfer of cards to the board is permitted, and he may transfer all of his cards which depict that food message.

When the player using the sound message means elicits a Hey Fatso message, then he must pick up all the food cards which have been played on the board. The only time the player does not have to pick up all the food cards on the board is if he occupies the same station as another player. In this instance, the other player must pick up all the food cards which have been played.

What has been described is a novel game apparatus utilizing novel audible sound message reproducing means for partially controlling the game play, wherein said audible sound message means impart an element of chance into the game by the player being unable to intentionally select a particular game play message.

It is obvious that upon study by those skilled in the art the disclosed invention may be altered or modified without de-, parting from its inventive concept.

What we claim is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a game board including a plurality of sequentially arranged stations thereon defining a path of movement, a plurality of markers for movement by the players along the path, a plurality of areas on said board each having thereon a pictorial representation, a plurality of game pieces each identifiable with one of said representations, a first chance means for determining the progress of said markers along the path, certain of said stations along the path being similarly and distinctly marked, and a second chance means which is also to be used by a player when his marker rests on one of said distinctly marked stations, said second chance means comprising sound reproducing means including an elongated strip having a plurality of parallel sound tracks each including an oral message of instruction for the players, and a sound reproducer including a stylus which is manually movable along said strip to randomly reproduce one of the messages recorded thereon, at least some of said recorded messages having reference to different ones of said pictorial representations. 

1. Game apparatus comprising a game board including a plurality of sequentially arranged stations thereon defining a path of movement, a plurality of markers for movement by the players along the path, a plurality of areas on said board each having thereon a pictorial representation, a plurality of game pieces eacH identifiable with one of said representations, a first chance means for determining the progress of said markers along the path, certain of said stations along the path being similarly and distinctly marked, and a second chance means which is also to be used by a player when his marker rests on one of said distinctly marked stations, said second chance means comprising sound reproducing means including an elongated strip having a plurality of parallel sound tracks each including an oral message of instruction for the players, and a sound reproducer including a stylus which is manually movable along said strip to randomly reproduce one of the messages recorded thereon, at least some of said recorded messages having reference to different ones of said pictorial representations. 